Plug-in device and socket receptacle



Aug. 7, 1945. 'H. H. EBY 2,380,955

PLUG-IN DEVICES AND SOCKET RECEPTACLES Original Filed May 6., 1938 3339 INVENTOR HUGH H. [BY

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca 2,300,955 PLUG-IN DEVICE AND SOCKET BEOEPTACLE Hugh H. Eby, Jenkintown, Pa.

Original application May a, less, serial No. 206,457. Divided and this application Decentber18, 1940,8e1lllN0. amnes 4 Claims. 11. 173-328) This invention relates to plug-in devices and socket receptacles therefor, constituting a division of my application 'flled May 6, 1938, Serial No. 206,457, now Patent 2,290,172.

With the advent of the present type of "ctal tubes the use of a separate indexing prong orv guide member as a means for aligning contact prongs with appropriate socket receptacle contactsgwas introduced into the commercial art of plug in devices. As provided hitherto, however, the aligning or angular position determinator took the form of a substantial cylinder having an external rib disposed longitudinally on the cylinder, requiring a complementally shaped guide aperture in the receptacle. This is shown for instance in the patent of Shrader No. 2,080,837 dated May 18, 1937, and necessitated terminationoi the rib short oi the truly cylindrical lower end of the guide member so that rotation thereon was provided for. With such guide member disposition, concentric to a circular series of prong contacts, it will be evident that av relatively large area in the center of the plug-in device is incapable of containing contact prongs. This area lies within the circle containing the first mentioned series oi prongs.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 25,055, died June 5, 1935 now matured into Patent No. 2,-

l96,69'i, I have disclosed a socket receptacle ar-,'

ranged to receive the present day octal" type tube or allied analogous devices, in which a form of housing and guide for the guide member or prong is disclosed and in which an eyelet is used as the central guide member receiving guide element whereby certain important advantages are secured its guiding receptacle element'is such that the male guiding element is universal 'as're'gards its guided reception in both the present day "octa receptacle and that of the instant invention, while the female-guiding receptor is selective to receive only the guiding member of the instant invention; to provide a combination contact with anchoring means such as to accord with variations in the thickness oi'ithe plates of the socket receptacles, to provide means for locking plug-in devices to socket receptacles, and many other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this'description,

Fig. 1 represents-a perspective of an illustrative embodiment of a lockin guiding female contact. Fig 2 represents a plan of a socket assembly with the contact of Fig. l in operative guiding positicn substantially concentrically of the socket.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary section, partlally in elevation 01 the plugin end 0! a plug-in d c showing the cooperative guiding aligning which'advantages will also attach to-the instant invention, as will later appear, together with new advantages present in this instant improvement on the invention or said application.

It is among the objectsoi the invention; to provide improvements in plug-in devices; to provide an improved socket receptacle for plug-in devices;- to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art in plug-in devices and socket receptacles ior plug-in devices; to provide. improvements in contacts for plug-in devices; to provide improvements in contacts for socket receptacles; to provide complemental plug-in devices and socket receptacles therefor, both or which are possessed of highly advantageous and eiiicient characteristics; to improve indexing characteristics of guided plug-in devices;' to provide an improved combination guide and contact element in the socket receptacle in which an indexing prong or guide member is slidably inserted to interlocked engagetallic contact element with the molded non-memember for association with the contact of Fig, 1.

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary plan on an 'e x- .aggerated scale of the guiding contact of Fig. 2,

showing in dotted lines the outline of a conventional present day type oi octal substantially cylindrical guide element, to indicate that it cannot enter the guiding contact.

Fig. 5 represents a transverse section on line,

l-J of Fig. 3.- through the centering indexing guide member to show-the association oi the metallic prong. V

Fig.-5a represents a similar transverse section through a modified form of guiding memher.

' Fig. 6 represents'a similar section. taken on line H of Fig. 3, to show the locking grooves disposed therein. i i.

Fig. '1 represents a fragmentary plan, partially in section, of a conventional present day type or.

octal" tube-receiving socket guide element oi the substantially cylindrical type, having a guide tortion to anchor the guiding element in an insulating base, supplemental anchoring means on said element spaced from the flanges and adapted to engage said base, and an inturned edge formed on said metallic element spaced from the plates arranged to eng ge and interlock. with the projecting guide element on a plug-in device.

2. In socket receptacles, a base, female contacts mounted on the base, a female triangular contact of generally isosceles form mounted on the base and having a predetermined angular relation to said first mentioned contacts arranged to guidingly receive a projecting substantially triangular contact-making guide element on a plug-in device of cooperatingly generally isosceles form having a recessed portion in one single predetermined angular relation of the socket and plug-in device, said female triangular contact comprising a backing'portion and a pair of side arms angularly-divergent therefrom, means integral with the triangular contact to anchor same to the base and means on said side arms to lockingly engage the recessed portion of such guide element on a plug-in device after insertion of said guide element into said female triangular contact.

3. In socket receptacles, a base, female contacts mounted on the base, a female triangular contact of generally isosceles form mounted on the base and having a predetermined angular relation to said first mentioned contacts arranged to guidingly receive a projecting substantially triangular contact-making guide element on a plugin device of cooperatingly generally isosceles form having a recessed portion in one single predetermined angular relation of the socket and plug-in device, said female triangular contact comprising a backing portion and a pair of side arms angularly divergent therefrom, means comprising a lower marginal intumed edge of a side arm integral with the triangular contact to anchor same to a base and means on said side arms to lockingly engage the recessed portion of such' guide element on a plug-in device after insertion of said guide element into said female triangular contact, and a soldering terminal, integral with i said backing portion.

4. In combination, a plug-in device having a substantially triangular guide elementhaving a lateral recess in one surface thereof transverse of the guide element, a guiding element comprising a backing portion and side arms defining a substantially triangular channel, the edges of an arm being inturned transverse of the guiding e1- ement to engage in said recess.

. HUGH H. EBY. I 

